The Hunter Academy's indoor recreation hall—usually a place of silent training and cold duels—was filled with laughter, clinking cups, and the soft thud of boots on wooden floors. Today was a rare event: a shared lunch between first, second, and third-year elites.
Kaen leaned against a pillar, eyes scanning the room. Zian sat nearby, arms crossed, clearly uncomfortable. Mira had dragged her into this.
Across the room, Leon was deep in a dice game with Tarek and a sharp-eyed third-year named Rayden—the son of a powerful S-rank hunter. Rayden had crimson hair and a grin like a blade, but oddly enough, he'd taken a liking to Kaen after a brief spar earlier that week.
"Not bad for a first-year," Rayden had said. "You've got killer instincts."
Kaen had only replied, "I've killed more than instincts."
They shook hands.
At a nearby table, Seri Vale, daughter of the Vale Corporation president, offered Zian a cold drink. "You're sharper than you look," Seri said smoothly. "But you carry something heavier than a sword."
Zian blinked, caught off guard. "You see that?"
"I see a lot. My job is reading people." She gave a knowing smile and left.
Kyel, standing alone by a window, muttered, "Everyone's acting like war isn't on the horizon."
Lirien approached him. "They're savoring the peace because they know what's coming."
Kaen found Zian once again. "Made friends?"
She looked at him sideways. "Sort of."
"You'll need them," Kaen said. "Even you can't win a war alone."
Suddenly, the academy's alert system rang out. A massive rune lit up above them all:
"Preliminary Match Notice: A-2 vs. A-1 – Begin preparation."
The hall went silent.
Mira's eyes widened. "That's… the third-year class."
Kaen's smirk was slow and cold. "Looks like the game just started."